1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a log transmission device and a log transmission method. More specifically, the invention relates to a log transmission device that transmits a log to a management server at every preset log transmission timing, and a corresponding method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Diverse methods have been proposed to use logs in a computer network environment. For example, an office equipment maintenance system utilizing logs is disclosed in Patent Laid-Open Gazette No. 2001-243091. In this cited reference, each office machine connecting with a service center via a network accumulates multiple log files into a hard disk. These log files include logs generated on the same date. When these log files are sent from the office machine to the service center, the service center analyzes the received log files and remotely diagnoses the office machine.
In one practical example, logs may be sent from each office machine to a management server at every preset log transmission timing. In this case, a log transmission timing may come in the course of execution of a job. One available technique sends logs relating to only the jobs completed before a log transmission timing to the management server. With regard to a job under execution, a log relating to the job is updated on completion of the job and is sent to the management server at a next log transmission timing. As shown in an example of FIG. 9(a), logs A and B relating to jobs A and B, which are generated after a previous log transmission timing, are stored on completion of the respective jobs A and B and are sent to the management server at a next log transmission timing.
In an illustrated example of FIG. 9(b), a job C is started immediately before the next log transmission timing but is completed after the next log transmission timing. In this case, although part of the job C is processed before the next log transmission timing, completion of the whole job C is after the next log transmission timing. A log C relating to the job C is accordingly sent to the management server at a log transmission timing after the next. Namely no log relating to this job C has been sent at the next log transmission timing, regardless of completion of part of the job C prior to the next log transmission timing. Such a delay of transmission of the log may lower the accuracy of a certain judgment or decision based on the log.